Snap switch



June 3, 1930. A. c. GAYNOR 1,762,093

" SNAP SWITCH Filed March 25; 1927 2 ShetS-Sheet 1 k WW gmentdr June 3, 1930. I c; GAYNQR I Y l,762,0 93

SNAP SWITCH Filed March 25', 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v contacts in an insulat '45 object of the invention is Patented June 35 1930 I jS'rTs 1 'SMB IT H 3 Application. filed ll/[arch 2s,

; This invention relates to electric snap switches and particularlyto switches of the character disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 126,530.

One object contemplated. in the present 7 instance is the provision of means for actuating the circuit making and b'reaking'elements which may be produced at a comparatively low cost and'which can be easily 10 assembled in the completed switch;

Generally, in snap switches of the present type, there is a handle which operates a floating member carrying a pair of movable contacts adapted to cooperate with"fiXed edbase; This floating member is usually carried'by a shaft or crank journaled in suitable bearings and capable of being rocked by said handle, a spring being interposed between said shaft 0 and handle for'imparting a snap motion to the shaft. In such constructions there is a certain amount of friction generated by the shaft or crank turning in its bearings.

As the amount'of friction created increases,

the amount of energy absorbed from the spring is correspondingly increased with a consequent reduction in the energy utilized in actually moving the crank and imparting a snap action thereto. In viewofthis,

'30 a further object of the present invention is to reduce the friction generated by the contacting surfaces of the crank and its. bearings to 'aminimuln and thereb'y effect a maximum conservation of the energy stored in the spring for the purposeof actu-- ating the crank.

Again, In switch mechanism'such as just outlined, there is a component of force exerted on the crank or shaft in a ,direction tending to press the latter against the vertically disposed portionsof the walls of the crank bearings. As this also tends to detractvfrom the efiiciency of the mechanism; so far as a snap action is concerned, another to so form the bearings in the crank supporting members as to eliminate those portions of the bearing walls which ordinarily receive the thrusts mentioned.

With theseand other objects in view the ra'fngeinents; o

in a vertica -members are in th constituti 7 bracket whosetop plate 25seats in: a

1927. Seriail 1\Tq. 177,679.

TENT ma e invention consists n certain novel, details of constructlon and comb natlons and arj f parts, all as will hereinafter be more fullyjdescribed' andthe novel feathe appended claim.

Inthe accomp is illustrated,--

"Figure l'is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a section on the Fig; "1. i

l ig. 8 is lating base.

Fig. 4 is an en bly shown in Fig. I

' Figs.

crank or shaft. 1

'tures thereof particularly pointed out in line of 5 and 6 are detail-elevations" of the two sides of the, supporting. member for the anyin'g drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of the lnvention a longitudinal sectional view, c H l plane,- of the operating assembl-y'of the switch removed fromthe' insudielevation of the a'ssem- Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective. of, tl1e crank or shaft; and

' Fig. 8 ,-is an enlarged perspective view of actuating handle or lever.

j Inthepr'e vention' shown; recess or socket of the. operating par base is also providedferr'ed embodiment of the inthe insulating base 18 has a 19 therein for the reception ts of the switch. j Said i with a slot 20 merging "into socket 19, saidslot being adapted to receive the fixed contact jaws of the switch and the movable contact blade. -The base is also formed with terminalseats '21 at its side and extending fromsaid seats are minate in the fixed cond 24. Leads 23 extend of thetop of'base 18 and downi lot 20', one of said leads terminating'near-the top of thebase in contact I substantially to the bottom ofsaid slot and forms con- I I r.

leads 23 which ter tact members22an transversely wardly'into s 22 while the other 1 lead extends tact24."

' While various supporting members for V the blade operating crank may be devised and utilized,'in the presentfinstance suchtion 0 eform of spaced arms 26 ng the depending portions of a depre i r which a non-rigid connection is made be- ..tween the crank. and contact blade.

31 and a portion 35 bent back substantially parallel to said bearing portion, thereby providing a non-circular projecting end-by The coiled compression spring 36 is compressed between hump 33 of the crank and the lower having an edge end of actuating lever 39, said lower end portion 37 of semi-circular outline with a pair of shoulders 38 adjacent to such semi-circular portion. This semicircular portion constitutes a spring seat for the upper end of spring 36, fitting rather snugly in the end thereof and preventing its lateral displacement. Preferably operating lever 39 is formea of a sheet metal .member around which is molded insulating material eta, the latter being cut away as at l5 to give access to the opening 46 formed insaid sheet metal member for receiving the pivot pin 47. Pivotpin 47 is secured in openings 30 in the depending arms 26 of the supporting bracket. Generally, the major portion of the structure thus far described is more fully described in my co-pending application hereinbefore referred to.

Tov reduce the area of the contacting surfaces of the crank and the walls of the bear- .ings therefor in the depending arms 26, said bearings are preferably formed by providing an enlarged opening 27in each of said arms WVltll a shallow recess 27* in the lower portion of the wall thereof. The recess 27 actually constitutes the bearing surface for the crank and extends considerably less than half way around the crank shaft. Preferably, said recess is arc-shaped and approximately 90 in length between the points at whichits wall merges into the sloping portions of'the wall of hole 27. As a result, a minimum amount of friction is created by the relatively moving contacting surfaces of the crank and its bearings, thereby increasing the energyactually available for actuating the movable blade 7 of the switch. This application of maximum energy by the spring to the crank results in a noticeably snappier movement of the latter. Not only is the amount of friction reduced by decreasing the length of the bearing surface actually in contact with the crank but, with the present construction,

the walls of openings 27 join the walls of recesses 2" at a point below the center of rotation of the crank so that the walls of openings 27 are spaced from the crank. In this way, the walls of openings 27 do not sustain any pressure from the crank shaft by reason of the horizontal thrust that is imposed on the crank shaft laterally of its center of rotation.

To facilitate assembly of' these parts, opening 27 in one of arms 26 extends all the way to the edge thereof and to limit the rocking movement of the crank one of said arms is formed with lugs 29 which act as stops. I

It will be appreciated that the construction of thebearing bracket and other parts of the switch may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as de fined in the following claim.

What I claim is:

In a snap switch the combination of a contact blade, a rocking crank shaft circular in cross-section connected to said blade and a bracket having spaced arms'eaeh formed with an aperture constituting a bearing for said shaft, the wall of said aperture formed with an are shaped shallow recess in the lower portion in which the said shaft is journaled, the wall of the recess terminating below the medial line of the shaft, thewalls of the aperture extending upwardly and outwardly away iirom the recess.

ARTHUR C. GAYNOR. 

